Shelby Freedman, Melody Ashby, Matt Song, Roger An
Group Rules
1) If you don't do the work you will take double jobs next week.
2) If you don't do the work you aren't aloud to take part of the discussion or the food eating for the next two weeks
3) If you break the rules more than three time you get a zero for the assignment
4) Don't use sparknotes unless you have asked your group about the story don't be lazy to reread it
week 1 jobs:
Discussion Director: Melody
Quote Finder: Shelby
Key Questioner: Roger
Group Summarizer: Matt Song
Food person: everyone
Roger
1. How did Ram know the answer to the first few questions?
s: Through the history of his past
melody: from experience in his life.
matt: THIS IS NOT AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION
Roger: through his life experiences his friends and family,and guardians.
2. Do you think it was fair that Ram got treated better than the others because he could read?
s: Yes, people who have that kind of education is more valuable in life
Melody: He could get a lot farther in life being able to read and having a good education matt: not really, everyone has value even if it not something obvious like reading. however in the enviornment he lives in, its dog eat dog world and it only seems natural that he is more valuable.
R:yes, because reading is a very valuble skill.
3. Do you think it was right for Ram to push that man off of the platform?
S: Of course he should have pushed him off the platform. He had no right to those kind of things to his family. And do you think that he was rightfully prosecuted?
Melody: I think it was the only thing he could think of doing to stop him. i mean the girl and the mom couldn’t go anywhere so i guess it was the only option
R:yes, because he only did that to help the girl and the mother.
matt: no, he was drunk and didnt know what he was doing. it is still the drunk’s fault but i think ram couldve shown a little sympathy
4. Why did Ram never give up on life, using his smarts and determination to get him through the orphanage and poverty he suffered?
S: Dude the book isn’t over so we can’t really say anything yet.
Melody: i guess he just has the courage to umm idk
matt: yeah roger the book isnt over yet. but this is a really good end of the novel question ill admit.
R:Becasue he is young, and there is still hope in life.
5. If you were Ram's lawyer, would you defend someone who is virtually pennyless?
S: Well he isn’t penniless he just won a game show with a billion rupees.
Melody: yeah but they didnt give him the money did they? i mean if they arrested him for cheating?
matt: yes, its only fair to the client that he has a lawyer, even if he/she cannot pay me. R:Becasue if you help him win, he has won a billion ruppes.
Quotes: Shelby
- “How about I accept both your suggestions and change the boys name to Ram Mohammad Thomas? That should satisfy everyone.”
S: I liked this quote because it shows the controversy between the country and how they had settled it.
Melody: i thought that this was ridiculous so what if had a christian name? whats the big deal.
matt: this is proof that extremists are problems everywhere. theres people with an honest devotion and then theres the people who blindly follow others.
R:I like the quote because it blends both christian and indian names.
- “I would wait for Father Timothy to say, ‘You may now kiss the bride’ I would always be the first to throw the confetti”
S: I thought that this resembled a happy time in Ram’s life and how he wishes he were back there.
Melody: this was really cute i can just imagine him as a cute little boy throwing the confetti (:
matt: ha ha, this reflects on how he has fun during his childhood
R:I like this quote because it tells that Ram had some happy times, in this case at weddings.
- “‘Don’t you know?’ she whispers confidentially, ‘Joesph caught Father John with another man. But don’t tell anyone, and don’t whisper a word to Father Timothy, otherwise there will be hell to pay.’”
S: I thought this was funny and it shows payback at the priest for doing all those wrong things.
Melody: i love that he had no idea what she was talking about
matt: this kind of shows that Father John is the boss around here. i bet if it was anybody else, they’d be shunned immediately.
R:I like this quote because it tests Ram’s loyalty to others.
- “What happened to Neelima Keumari, living in her flat, I had almost forgotten life in the chawl.”
S: You can kinda sense the regret in his voice and how he wishes he were there for her instaed of running.
Melody: I have no comments matt: shelby shelby shelby, you can’t hear his voice! anyways ram is sort of looking back on life i guess.
R: I don’t like this quote, because it isn’t very specific.
- “Suddenly she stretches out her arm and takes my hand in hers. ‘You are te best brother I ever had. Isn’t he mummy?’ she said. Mrs. Shantaram nods her head”
S: It really shows that Ram is a good person and that even the people in the chawl can still have a very kind heart.
R:I like this quote because proves that there is some good in Ram, even though his life has been very difficult.
matt: this is a nice heart warming scene.
Melody: I love this because they are so cute (:
On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (A)
Group Leader Disscusion: Melody Ram Mohammad Thomas is a very realistic character that has been through many interesting and unbelievable experience. I wouldn’t doubt that he has all that knowledge from all the things hes been through. Salim is Ram’s friend who is absolutely obsessed with the actor Armaan Ali. This obssesion is very much unhealthy and could definitely have a mental disorder. Maybe due to conditions of him growing up. Gudiya shantaram is a girl that lived next door to Ram and Salim in the chawl. Ram and her become like brother and sister. When Gudiya is being harrassed Ram is there for her to hold her hand and comfort her.
Summary:
Last Friday we took Mr. Morone's advice and used google docs. it worked pretty well but me and roger got a little distracted. Roger brought a whole bunch of candy and goldfish and we were happy at least one person brought food. we talked about the first chapter and the interesting twist it had at the end. Despite the few problems, we were really productive and worked a lot during book club. _
WEEK 2
week 2: read to chapter 200,000 rupees Murder on the Western Express Jobs: Discussion Director: Matt Song Key Questioner: Shelby Quote Finder: Roger Group Summarizer: Melody
Key Questioner:
1) Why is the power of speaking English made Ram more of a leader?
2) Why do you think Colonel Taylor is so obsessed with his family?
3) Why do you think the caretaker was so desperate to get rid of Ram?
4) Why do you think the Colonel trusted Ram so much that he showed him about the cameras?
5) Who do you think Nita is? Quote finder: "My poor brother is dead. And I killed him.(144) "Friendship is important. But the country comes first." (126)
"What is your ambition in life?(117)
"But blood is thicker than water." (140)
"Well done, Thomas. I knew I could Rely on you."
Topical Response- Matt Song
The book, although written in a different country, uses language like any other American novel. The structure and style seems very normal. The vocabulary is interesting, but not too hard. The language is perfect for high school kids. Like I said, the vocab is easy enough for us freshmen, but advanced enough for even seniors. The only words we don't understand, are the cultural words from India. The reason I know it's made for high school and up, is that there are curse words which are a sure sign for higher reading levels.
Group summary- Melody
This week in book club we didn't use google docs instead we just discussed the questions and quotes. We ate popcorn and drank gatorade and had a good general discussion. So far we all are enjoying the book and can't wait to continue.
Week 3: read to chapter: License to Kill Jobs: Discussion Director: Shelby Key Questioner: Matt song Quote Finder: Melody Group Summarizer: Roger
Group summariser- Today, December17. We had a fairly productive meeting today. We talked about all of the quotes, and questions, and nobody really got off of topic. The 2nd quote really got us talking, and we asked each other if we would have run, or if we would have stayed. We all would have run, because the thief already took our money, so there was nothing to stay for. Also, the group loved my cheetos.
Oddly enough, the 3rd question correlates directly with the quote i just mentioned. Another big debate is Ram's personality. We wondered how could a person be so optimistic with so little good in his life? Most of us agreed that we didn't have Ram's perseverance and that we would have given up. Basically speaking, I think we had a very productive session.
Quotes- Melody
“For the first time in my life, I had something more tangible than a dream to back up a claim. And for the first time in my life, I saw something new reflected in the eyes that saw me. Respect.”
“ ‘No! This is my money!’ I cry and instinctively protect my crotch like a soccer player blocking a free kick. ‘I have earned it. I will not give it to you. I don’t even know your name’ The Dacoit gives a raucous laugh. ‘Don’t you know what dacoits do? We take money that doesn’t belong to us, from people who don’t even know our names. No, are you giving me the packet or should I pull down your pants and take it out myself?’ He waves the pistol in my face”
“ ‘ Oh, my God!’ I hear Akshay’s voice, like an echo in a cave. The dacoit is lying on the floor, inches from the door and I have a pistol in my hand, from which a thin plume of smoke is drifting upward. The train is beginning to gather speed.”
“Meenakshi glances at me furtively. She looks at me like Salim looks at film stars. I know that at this moment she is in love with me. If I propose to her now, she will marry me. Happily have my children. Even without the fifty thousand”
Questions
1. Do you think Ram would've been arrested or praised as a hero if he stayed at the train?
2. Ram took a chance with the revolver question only knowing a single gun brand. Do you think the risk was worth it?
3. Would it have been possible for Ram to find his money and evade the police at the same time?
4. Why do you think Akshay ratted out Ram?
5. Before we knew the pretty girl's name, did you ever think that she was Nita? the girl that was occupying Ram's mind?
Although the story itself is sad, the mood is still not a sad one. The character Ram is a very optimistic person though his life is very depressing. Through the story he pushes himself through the obstacles and overcomes the reality of his life. Ram could have been suicidal or depressed but he always pushes through so he lightens the mood of the book.
Week 4: read to chapter X Gkrz Opknu (or a Love Story) Jobs: Discussion Director: Roger Key Questioner: Melody Quote Finder: Matt Song Group Summarizer: Shelby
Quotes
1. You think of only one thing. Life. I wanted to live, because I had to fulfill my dream of becoming an actor
2. But I value people who speak the truth even when confronted with death
3. i am not a fool. I knew there and then that Ahmed had murdered the man and that I was living with a contract killer. But I didn't know what to do. Ahmed had saved my life, and I couldn't even contemplate betraying him to the police.
4. Something truly wonderful happened today. Maaji has died in her sleep. Aged eighty-one.
5. The confirm her identity only from her dental records. And when they discover who she was, they publish the picture of her rotting body on the front page of all the newspapers. "Neelima Kumari, famous Tragedy Queen of yesteryear, has committed suicide. She was forty-four. Her badly decomposed body was discovered in her flat only after a month. Now this I call a real tragedy.
for week 4, Matt and Melody weren't here, so i'm just reporting this so that our page for this week isn't entirely blank.
Discussion director:
The image used is a picture of Ram. It represents his life and hardships. The author uses these to describe the perseverance of his life.
This week on book club Melody and Matt weren’t present. There was no quotes or questions posted so we couldn’t discuss anything. We then worked on the question for that week and worked on our portfolios.
Due to Melody and Matt not posting the work up on the wiki they have to do Roger's and I's jobs for the last week Week 5: read to the end Jobs: Discussion Director: Melody Quote Finder: Matt Key Questioner: Roger Group Summarizer: Matt Song
Quotes 1. I realized a long time ago that dreams have power only over your own mind; but with money you can have power over the minds of others 2. Because Shyam is my brother 3. I fail to see the mangy little street dog with black spots huffing on the cobbled pavement just below the parapet, spit dribbling from its sharp white teeth. 4. I won't need it anymore. Because luck comes from within. 5. You didn't do me any favor by telling the answer to question number two, you did yourself a favor
I just want to say for the record that we all read the book. Since Meldoy and Matt were absent, they have to do Shelby and my jobs for this week.
Key questioner: 1. why do you think Ram didn't shoot the host? 2. How did Ram know that Preem Kumar was the one who hurt Nita? 3. Do you think that the boy who spoke jibberish was really the rich woman's son? 4. Do you think that it was fair that the host tricked Ram, and why or why not? 5. Why did Ram give all his money to the man who desperately needed it?
Group summary - Matt
We talked about our quotes and discussed the story. But mainly we were talking about how great the ending was. We were all so surprised at the little twists on the real identites of some characters. We really loved the book and probably would read it again.
Discussion director-Melody
We would definitely recommend this to a peer. We all loved this book. I have never read a book like this. It should definitely be considered for curriculum. This book shows us that we need to be grateful for all that we have. It shows us true poverty in ways we could never imagine. It really teaches a lot.
Q&A By Vikas Swarup
Shelby Freedman, Melody Ashby, Matt Song, Roger An
Group Rules
1) If you don't do the work you will take double jobs next week.
2) If you don't do the work you aren't aloud to take part of the discussion or the food eating for the next two weeks
3) If you break the rules more than three time you get a zero for the assignment
4) Don't use sparknotes unless you have asked your group about the story don't be lazy to reread it
week 1 jobs:
Discussion Director: Melody
Quote Finder: Shelby
Key Questioner: Roger
Group Summarizer: Matt Song
Food person: everyone
Roger
1. How did Ram know the answer to the first few questions?
s: Through the history of his past
melody: from experience in his life.
matt: THIS IS NOT AN OPEN ENDED QUESTION
Roger: through his life experiences his friends and family,and guardians.
2. Do you think it was fair that Ram got treated better than the others because he could read?
s: Yes, people who have that kind of education is more valuable in life
Melody: He could get a lot farther in life being able to read and having a good education matt: not really, everyone has value even if it not something obvious like reading. however in the enviornment he lives in, its dog eat dog world and it only seems natural that he is more valuable.
R:yes, because reading is a very valuble skill.
3. Do you think it was right for Ram to push that man off of the platform?
S: Of course he should have pushed him off the platform. He had no right to those kind of things to his family. And do you think that he was rightfully prosecuted?
Melody: I think it was the only thing he could think of doing to stop him. i mean the girl and the mom couldn’t go anywhere so i guess it was the only option
R:yes, because he only did that to help the girl and the mother.
matt: no, he was drunk and didnt know what he was doing. it is still the drunk’s fault but i think ram couldve shown a little sympathy
4. Why did Ram never give up on life, using his smarts and determination to get him through the orphanage and poverty he suffered?
S: Dude the book isn’t over so we can’t really say anything yet.
Melody: i guess he just has the courage to umm idk
matt: yeah roger the book isnt over yet. but this is a really good end of the novel question ill admit.
R:Becasue he is young, and there is still hope in life.
5. If you were Ram's lawyer, would you defend someone who is virtually pennyless?
S: Well he isn’t penniless he just won a game show with a billion rupees.
Melody: yeah but they didnt give him the money did they? i mean if they arrested him for cheating?
matt: yes, its only fair to the client that he has a lawyer, even if he/she cannot pay me. R:Becasue if you help him win, he has won a billion ruppes.
Quotes: Shelby
- “How about I accept both your suggestions and change the boys name to Ram Mohammad Thomas? That should satisfy everyone.”
S: I liked this quote because it shows the controversy between the country and how they had settled it.
Melody: i thought that this was ridiculous so what if had a christian name? whats the big deal.
matt: this is proof that extremists are problems everywhere. theres people with an honest devotion and then theres the people who blindly follow others.
R:I like the quote because it blends both christian and indian names.
- “I would wait for Father Timothy to say, ‘You may now kiss the bride’ I would always be the first to throw the confetti”
S: I thought that this resembled a happy time in Ram’s life and how he wishes he were back there.
Melody: this was really cute i can just imagine him as a cute little boy throwing the confetti (:
matt: ha ha, this reflects on how he has fun during his childhood
R:I like this quote because it tells that Ram had some happy times, in this case at weddings.
- “‘Don’t you know?’ she whispers confidentially, ‘Joesph caught Father John with another man. But don’t tell anyone, and don’t whisper a word to Father Timothy, otherwise there will be hell to pay.’”
S: I thought this was funny and it shows payback at the priest for doing all those wrong things.
Melody: i love that he had no idea what she was talking about
matt: this kind of shows that Father John is the boss around here. i bet if it was anybody else, they’d be shunned immediately.
R:I like this quote because it tests Ram’s loyalty to others.
- “What happened to Neelima Keumari, living in her flat, I had almost forgotten life in the chawl.”
S: You can kinda sense the regret in his voice and how he wishes he were there for her instaed of running.
Melody: I have no comments matt: shelby shelby shelby, you can’t hear his voice! anyways ram is sort of looking back on life i guess.
R: I don’t like this quote, because it isn’t very specific.
- “Suddenly she stretches out her arm and takes my hand in hers. ‘You are te best brother I ever had. Isn’t he mummy?’ she said. Mrs. Shantaram nods her head”
S: It really shows that Ram is a good person and that even the people in the chawl can still have a very kind heart.
R:I like this quote because proves that there is some good in Ram, even though his life has been very difficult.
matt: this is a nice heart warming scene.
Melody: I love this because they are so cute (:
On your group's wiki page, describe the main characters in your text. What makes them interesting? What is their story or background? Why are you drawn to them? Conversely, are there any characters that you just cannot stand? Why not? (A)
Group Leader Disscusion: Melody Ram Mohammad Thomas is a very realistic character that has been through many interesting and unbelievable experience. I wouldn’t doubt that he has all that knowledge from all the things hes been through. Salim is Ram’s friend who is absolutely obsessed with the actor Armaan Ali. This obssesion is very much unhealthy and could definitely have a mental disorder. Maybe due to conditions of him growing up. Gudiya shantaram is a girl that lived next door to Ram and Salim in the chawl. Ram and her become like brother and sister. When Gudiya is being harrassed Ram is there for her to hold her hand and comfort her.
Summary:
Last Friday we took Mr. Morone's advice and used google docs. it worked pretty well but me and roger got a little distracted. Roger brought a whole bunch of candy and goldfish and we were happy at least one person brought food. we talked about the first chapter and the interesting twist it had at the end. Despite the few problems, we were really productive and worked a lot during book club.
_
WEEK 2
week 2: read to chapter 200,000 rupees Murder on the Western Express
Jobs:
Discussion Director: Matt Song
Key Questioner: Shelby
Quote Finder: Roger
Group Summarizer: Melody
Key Questioner:
1) Why is the power of speaking English made Ram more of a leader?
2) Why do you think Colonel Taylor is so obsessed with his family?
3) Why do you think the caretaker was so desperate to get rid of Ram?
4) Why do you think the Colonel trusted Ram so much that he showed him about the cameras?
5) Who do you think Nita is?
Quote finder:
"My poor brother is dead. And I killed him.(144)
"Friendship is important. But the country comes first." (126)
"What is your ambition in life?(117)
"But blood is thicker than water." (140)
"Well done, Thomas. I knew I could Rely on you."
Topical Response- Matt Song
The book, although written in a different country, uses language like any other American novel. The structure and style seems very normal. The vocabulary is interesting, but not too hard. The language is perfect for high school kids. Like I said, the vocab is easy enough for us freshmen, but advanced enough for even seniors. The only words we don't understand, are the cultural words from India. The reason I know it's made for high school and up, is that there are curse words which are a sure sign for higher reading levels.
Group summary- Melody
This week in book club we didn't use google docs instead we just discussed the questions and quotes. We ate popcorn and drank gatorade and had a good general discussion. So far we all are enjoying the book and can't wait to continue.
Week 3: read to chapter: License to Kill
Jobs:
Discussion Director: Shelby
Key Questioner: Matt song
Quote Finder: Melody
Group Summarizer: Roger
Group summariser- Today, December17.
We had a fairly productive meeting today. We talked about all of the quotes, and questions, and nobody really got off of topic. The 2nd quote really got us talking, and we asked each other if we would have run, or if we would have stayed. We all would have run, because the thief already took our money, so there was nothing to stay for. Also, the group loved my cheetos.
Oddly enough, the 3rd question correlates directly with the quote i just mentioned. Another big debate is Ram's personality. We wondered how could a person be so optimistic with so little good in his life? Most of us agreed that we didn't have Ram's perseverance and that we would have given up. Basically speaking, I think we had a very productive session.
Quotes- Melody
“For the first time in my life, I had something more tangible than a dream to back up a claim. And for the first time in my life, I saw something new reflected in the eyes that saw me. Respect.”
“ ‘No! This is my money!’ I cry and instinctively protect my crotch like a soccer player blocking a free kick. ‘I have earned it. I will not give it to you. I don’t even know your name’ The Dacoit gives a raucous laugh. ‘Don’t you know what dacoits do? We take money that doesn’t belong to us, from people who don’t even know our names. No, are you giving me the packet or should I pull down your pants and take it out myself?’ He waves the pistol in my face”
“ ‘ Oh, my God!’ I hear Akshay’s voice, like an echo in a cave. The dacoit is lying on the floor, inches from the door and I have a pistol in my hand, from which a thin plume of smoke is drifting upward. The train is beginning to gather speed.”
“Meenakshi glances at me furtively. She looks at me like Salim looks at film stars. I know that at this moment she is in love with me. If I propose to her now, she will marry me. Happily have my children. Even without the fifty thousand”
Questions
1. Do you think Ram would've been arrested or praised as a hero if he stayed at the train?
2. Ram took a chance with the revolver question only knowing a single gun brand. Do you think the risk was worth it?
3. Would it have been possible for Ram to find his money and evade the police at the same time?
4. Why do you think Akshay ratted out Ram?
5. Before we knew the pretty girl's name, did you ever think that she was Nita? the girl that was occupying Ram's mind?
Although the story itself is sad, the mood is still not a sad one. The character Ram is a very optimistic person though his life is very depressing. Through the story he pushes himself through the obstacles and overcomes the reality of his life. Ram could have been suicidal or depressed but he always pushes through so he lightens the mood of the book.
Week 4: read to chapter X Gkrz Opknu (or a Love Story)
Jobs:
Discussion Director: Roger
Key Questioner: Melody
Quote Finder: Matt Song
Group Summarizer: Shelby
Quotes
1. You think of only one thing. Life. I wanted to live, because I had to fulfill my dream of becoming an actor
2. But I value people who speak the truth even when confronted with death
3. i am not a fool. I knew there and then that Ahmed had murdered the man and that I was living with a contract killer. But I didn't know what to do. Ahmed had saved my life, and I couldn't even contemplate betraying him to the police.
4. Something truly wonderful happened today. Maaji has died in her sleep. Aged eighty-one.
5. The confirm her identity only from her dental records. And when they discover who she was, they publish the picture of her rotting body on the front page of all the newspapers. "Neelima Kumari, famous Tragedy Queen of yesteryear, has committed suicide. She was forty-four. Her badly decomposed body was discovered in her flat only after a month. Now this I call a real tragedy.
for week 4, Matt and Melody weren't here, so i'm just reporting this so that our page for this week isn't entirely blank.
Discussion director:
The image used is a picture of Ram. It represents his life and hardships. The author uses these to describe the perseverance of his life.
This week on book club Melody and Matt weren’t present. There was no quotes or questions posted so we couldn’t discuss anything. We then worked on the question for that week and worked on our portfolios.
Due to Melody and Matt not posting the work up on the wiki they have to do Roger's and I's jobs for the last week
Week 5: read to the end
Jobs:
Discussion Director: Melody
Quote Finder: Matt
Key Questioner: Roger
Group Summarizer: Matt Song
Quotes
1. I realized a long time ago that dreams have power only over your own mind; but with money you can have power over the minds of others
2. Because Shyam is my brother
3. I fail to see the mangy little street dog with black spots huffing on the cobbled pavement just below the parapet, spit dribbling from its sharp white teeth.
4. I won't need it anymore. Because luck comes from within.
5. You didn't do me any favor by telling the answer to question number two, you did yourself a favor
I just want to say for the record that we all read the book. Since Meldoy and Matt were absent, they have to do Shelby and my jobs for this week.
Key questioner:
1. why do you think Ram didn't shoot the host?
2. How did Ram know that Preem Kumar was the one who hurt Nita?
3. Do you think that the boy who spoke jibberish was really the rich woman's son?
4. Do you think that it was fair that the host tricked Ram, and why or why not?
5. Why did Ram give all his money to the man who desperately needed it?
Group summary - Matt
We talked about our quotes and discussed the story. But mainly we were talking about how great the ending was. We were all so surprised at the little twists on the real identites of some characters. We really loved the book and probably would read it again.
Discussion director-Melody
We would definitely recommend this to a peer. We all loved this book. I have never read a book like this. It should definitely be considered for curriculum. This book shows us that we need to be grateful for all that we have. It shows us true poverty in ways we could never imagine. It really teaches a lot.